Not protecting my big hands

Hi,

First post although i've done alot of lurking.

I've just surpassed 5k hands at 50c/$1 and have been reviewing my history as i have lost $111.07. -1.96 BB/100 for 5644 hands. While i've lost that, technically i am winning because i play for bonuses and have my bankroll to almost $2000.

What i've found is that i often do no protect my big hands.

For example.

Party Poker 0.50/1 Hold'em (7 handed) converter (http://www.selachian.com/tools/bisonconverter/hhconverter.cgi)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A/images/graemlins/club.gif, Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif.
<font color="#666666">3 folds</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#666666">1 fold</font>, SB calls, BB calls.

Flop: (6 SB) K/images/graemlins/heart.gif, A/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 2/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">BB bets</font>, Hero calls, SB calls.

Turn: (4.50 BB) 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif <font color="#0000FF">(3 players)</font>
SB checks, <font color="#CC3333">BB bets</font>, <font color="#CC3333">Hero raises</font>, <font color="#CC3333">SB 3-bets</font>, BB folds, Hero calls.

River: (11.50 BB) 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif <font color="#0000FF">(2 players)</font>
<font color="#CC3333">SB bets</font>, Hero calls.

Final Pot: 13.50 BB

Although i did not know it, this seems to be typical of me to just call a bet when i have Tp with a decent kicker from someone in EP then try to defend on the turn and river.

Am i correct in thinking that in order to protect myself that i would have been correct in raising the initial bet in better order to protect my hand ? Am i correct in thinking this is what is meant by the term protecting your big hands ?

Also i feel i am playing too tightly. My VP$IP is 7.97% and VP$SB is 18.40%. From what i've been reading here, this too is low.

On a side note, i am so glad i purchased PT and now have the option of reviewing my play. I no longer have to be concerned about raising TT where as before i would just call. Over the past 2-3 months it has helped me in being able to lay down my big hands when i know they're beat and see things in a more long term perspective.

Any comments ?

[TheKentock]

I almost always raise here. I don't think there's much question about it in this case. I think BB has a smaller ace and is testing the waters. if you raise you isolate him and he will almost certainly call you down with that ace. if he has less, he will probably fold by the river, but you still get a nice pot. Don't get fancy, this is a straightforward way to win a lot of decent pots.

[Eeegah]

Holy cow, eight percent VPIP? That is far, far too low, probably not even enough to make up for the blinds.

Reccomendation: SSHE. Buy it and read it, use its tight chart to, er, loosen up to about 15-16% VPIP, and while you're at it read up on raising to protecto your hand--hell, just memorize the book. You'll come out of it much, much stronger.

[TheKentock]

Oh yeah, I forgot to add that in my post as well. That's way too low. If you play Twice as many hands as you currently are, you'll be in the zone that most people like around here. Definitely read SSHE and don't be afraid to get into those multiway pots with those hands that play well multiway. Pray for T9s on the button with 4 limpers. 55 in the same spot as well. These may be the places where you're leaving money on the table.

[Rev. Good Will]

[ QUOTE ]


Also i feel i am playing too tightly. My VP$IP is 7.97% and VP$SB is 18.40%. From what i've been reading here, this too is low.

[/ QUOTE ]

it is crazy low

my VPIP = 23.07%
my PFR = 13%

but then agian, i'm one of teh more laggy posters here, "nromal" numbers are around 18%/8%

Wow, reading your post is nuts. You're definitely too tight--loosen up! Have a few drinks, raise those TP2K on the flops to knock out bad players!

Don't worry, you'll be fine in the long run. Get some poker literature in your life, too. I know for a fact that TOP has increased my game dramatically even though I haven't played a single hand yet.

[aK13]

Check this thread out. (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&amp;Number=3219639&amp;page=0&amp;view=colla psed&amp;sb=5&amp;o=14&amp;fpart=1)

[Fryguy]

I pre-flop raise more than you vpip, heh.

[ QUOTE ]
Check this thread out. (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&amp;Number=3219639&amp;page=0&amp;view=colla psed&amp;sb=5&amp;o=14&amp;fpart=1)

[/ QUOTE ]

[cold_cash]

Consider your two options on the flop: Calling or Raising.

Consider what hands your opponents might have.

Consider the pot size.

If you call the flop the SB will be getting 8:1 from the pot. What kind of hands can he call profitably with? Could he have one of those hands? (Think about how this changes if, say, the pot had been capped pre-flop and instead of 2 opponents you have 4.)

*Will he call two-bets just as easily as he'll call one, regardless of the size of the pot?

*Very important to know.

FWIW, if this was heads up I just call that flop bet a lot of the time.

[Donkey Kong]

You simply have to start reading 2+2 books,man. you're missing some of the basics with your current play, and as long as you play as weakly as you currently do, you'll not become a significant winner.
I started my career with no clue, and i lost about $1000 before i figured out that i needed some theoretic knowledge of the game. So i bought a few Malmuth/Sklansky-books and read and reread them until their paperback covers fell off. Especially i recommend "Small stakes hold'em", but you should also proceed to read "Theory of Poker", "Psychology of poker" and "Hold'em for advanced players 21st century edition".
These books have turned my bankroll from -$1000 to +$1500 in about 3 months playing $0.5/1 at party. So there's no need to wait, you simply need to get those books asap. /images/graemlins/grin.gif
Its a wonderful thing, going from -2BB/100 to 8BB/100 shorthanded. It really does wonders for your bankroll (and self confinence at the tables).

Ordered SSHE and ToP this afternoon. In the mean time i'll go back and read WLLH.

At least i've been "smart" enough to play with the security blanket of bonuses to date and avoided losing money.

Thank you all (almost) for the comments.

[@bsolute_luck]

[ QUOTE ]
Ordered SSHE and ToP this afternoon. In the mean time i'll go back and read WLLH.

At least i've been "smart" enough to play with the security blanket of bonuses to date and avoided losing money.

Thank you all (almost) for the comments.

[/ QUOTE ]

welcome to the boards. Though some responses may seem (or actually be) harsh, the guys on these boards mean well.

besides the comments about this hand, let me encourage you with 2 great decisions you've made:
1. you've ordered 2 key books (foundational books actually) in establishing your poker career.
2. you've come to these boards

now 2 suggestions beyond that:
1. read the Microlimit FAQ
2. read/post to others' hands.

from there, it's just a matter of time and effort. good luck.

[Innocentius]

Yes, you definitively need to protect your hands better. In this example, I would call top pair top kicker a good hand, not a big hand or great hand. The great hands hardly need protection. With them you can start thinking about slowplaying to get the maximum out of your opponents. Even top pair is only a pair. It needs protection.

Consider the following: The big blind has A8 and the small blind KT. As he should, the big blind bets. Now you call. The small blind gets 8:1 odds to call, and has 5 outs to beat you, making his call at least reasonable. If you raise, he will only be getting 4.5:1, and a call would be terrible. If he folds, you improve your chances of winning, and if he calls you make money (in the long run).

I wanted to bump this for a few reasons.

I made this post just over a month ago. In that time i've read SSHE and TOP. I also stopped the mindset that i am playing poker to clear a bonus and now i play with that as the gravy to my winnings. Previous to this though there really were no winnings to go with the gravy as i would 4 table and lose money to make money via the bonus.

As you can see a major difference. I've made back what i lost in half as many hands while still clearing nice bonuses.

One of the major eye openers i learnt from sshe to bring to my game has been overcalls. I did not even know this concept existed until i picked up the book.

WLLH gave me a good foundation in retrospect but lead me to develop monster under the bed syndrome which can be seen by my VP$IP for Aug. I was always worried someone else would have a better hand at that point.

I've loosened up a bit more for Sept with room for improvement which is the goal for October. Goals being reach 17-21 VP$IP and earn 150 BB.

I am quite chuffed to finally have a winning month (even if it means winning back what i lost last month while clearing bonuses).

http://www.hystericalme.net/progress.jpg